BRUSSELS, 6th January, 2026 (WAM) -- The Belgian government is set to cut almost half a billion euros from Belgium’s federal civil service over the coming years. The savings will come mainly from limiting staff replacements and introducing higher employer pension contributions for new permanent officials, according to official budget documents.
Under the first measure, government departments will only be allowed to replace two out of every five staff who leave until they reach their individual savings target. The rule will not apply to security and justice services, including the police, Defence, Justice, Home Affairs and the Immigration Office. This partial hiring freeze is expected to save around €100 million this year, rising to €175 million by 2029.
The second measure affects pensions for newly appointed permanent (statutory) civil servants. Federal services and state-owned companies will gradually pay a higher employer contribution on their salaries to cover future pension costs. The rate starts at 9.5 percent this year and will increase to 38 percent by 2029.
The federal pensions service is expected to receive an extra €100 million next year and €284 million by 2029.
Together, both measures should deliver €459 million in savings by 2029, part of the €9.2 billion that the Belgian government aims to find in its wider budget.